Wednesday, January 30, 2008

With hockey finally returning to normalcy following the All-Star Weekend from Atlanta (can we please stop calling it Hotlanta? the 1996 Summer Olympics has well past people!) FIW can now focus on Former Islander efforts in this push for the playoffs. With 28 of 30 teams still in contention for a postseason spot, FIs have to step up their contributions to help get their teams to Stanley Cup contention. With 10 games on tap on Tuesday it would be foolish to think that FIs were not going to take the reins and steer many of their teams to success. Alas only 1 FI helped his team last night and that team lost! Let us take a look at the lone FI accomplishment from a busy Tuesday night:

* Jason Blake scored Toronto's first goal and added an assist on the 2nd one as the Maple Leafs fell at home 3-2 to the St. Louis Blues. Blake received second star of the game honor but continues to be a topic of trade rumors as it is becoming clearer that the flailing Leafs will do some house cleaning in the next month. Blake has 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points on 52 games. With the tally and helper Blake snapped a 3 game point-less streak. With 30 games left, he would need a goal per game to match his single season high 40 goal effort from last year. He is current on pace for a 51 point effort (16 goals, 35 assists), potentially an 18 point drop from last year and his worst offensive effort since before the lockout when he had 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists) on 75 games with the Isles during the 2003-04 season. As always FIW will keep their eyes open as rumors continue to swirl.

Friday, January 25, 2008

We are going to take a quick peek at the Former Islander All-Stars who will be competing in this action-packed and frankly unnecessary frivolity this coming weekend:

* Zdeno Chara (D, BOS) - Boston captain Zdeno Chara is on pace for a career year. With 34 points (7 goals, 27 assists) on 49 games, Chara is only 9 points behind his 2 career best seasons. He is tied for 6th in points among defenseman. Currently his +/- rating of +7 is severely improved from last year's poor -21 outing. He is also 6th among d-men with 77 penalty minutes and shots on goal. All we are waiting for now is Chara to find the net in a pressure situation with no game winning goals yet this season.

* Chris Osgood (G, DET) - Replacing a decidedly indifferent Roberto Luongo, who opted not to play, Chris Osgood will be one of the netminders for the West squad. Osgood is having an unbelievable season with a 20-3-2 record, a .925 save percentage, 1.87 goals against average and 3 shutouts. Osgood current leads all goalies in goals against average while tied for 3rd in save percentage. While he has a fraction of the starts of most number 1 goaltenders, Osgood is currently tied for 8th in wins and is tied for 7th in shutouts. Osgood is playing like the lead netminder in Detroit yet is respectfully resigned to split time with the Red Wing's true number 1, Dominik Hasek.

All but 4 teams were in action on Thursday night, the last before the NHL All-Star Weekend kicks off on Friday. With 13 games the Former Islander action was intense. Let us take a look at the FI work from a busy night around the league:

* Boston captain Zdeno Chara burned his old team for 2 assists, including 1 on the powerplay, as the Bruins beat the visiting Islanders 4-1. Chara's even strength assist came on the game winner. He now has 34 points (7 goals, 27 assists) on 49 games and his well on his way to a career season needing only 9 points to equal his single-season highs from the last 2 seasons. Chara has notched 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) with the man advantage.

* Viktor Kozlov continued his recent scoring streak with the game winner as the Washington Capitals beat the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. Kozzer has 9 goals and 23 assists for 32 points on 50. Over the last 4 games Kozlov has scored over half of his season's goals (5) and added an assist for 6 points. Kozlov's game winner, his 1st of the season, came only 36 seconds after the Leafs had knotted the score at 1.

* Bryan Smolinski sealed first star of the game honor with his 2 goal effort as the Montreal Canadiens edged the host New Jersey Devils 4-3. Smolinski has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) on 35 games. It was the first multi-goal effort for Smoke since January 16, 2007 while still playing with Chicago Blackhawks. Smolinski has had an especially productive couple of games scoring 3 goals and an assist on his last 2. Roman Hamrlik had a powerplay assist on the game winning goal. Hamrlik has 3 goals and 16 assists for 19 points on 49 games. With the helper Hamrlik snapped a 6 game point-less streak. He has managed 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) on the man advantage.

* Olli Jokinen had a goal and an assist but was stopped on his attempt in the 3rd round of the SO as the Edmonton Oilers beat the host Florida Panthers 4-3. O-Jok has 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points on 51 games. Despite recent inconsistencies, Jokinen has been playing well as of late with points in his last 3 games including 2 goals and 3 assists.

* Randy Robitaille scored a goal and assist as the Ottawa Senators ripped the host Tampa Bay Lightning to shreds 8-4. Robitaille has 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) on 39 games with Ottawa this season. Tampa defenseman Brad Lukowich assisted on his team's 2nd goal. Luko has 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points on 48 games. Lukowich has 2 assists in the last 2 games. It is the first time he has accomplished points in consecutive games since April 16-18, 2006 while with the New Jersey Devils.

* Derek Armstrong scored the game winner and added an assist as the Los Angeles Kings knocked off the visiting Anaheim Ducks for a 3-1 win. Armstrong received first star of the game honor and now has 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points on 51 games. It was the 8th game winning goal of his career and his 2nd of the season. Armstrong has been considerably more productive as of late with 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points over the last 7 games.

Between Friday and Sunday the NHL and Atlanta will be hosting the All-Star Weekend and All-Star Game festivities meaning no hockey action of true consequence. Check next week as the league will kick back into full playoff chase mode as we embark on the last 30 or so games. Thank you for reading FIW and we hope to see you soon.

There were only 3 games on the schedule on Wednesday. Teams are battling for important position points as we approach the NHL All-Star weekend. Let us take a look at the Former Islander contributions from around the league:

* Viktor Kozlov assisted on Washington's 1st goal but the Capitals fell on a last minute goal to the host Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2. Kozzer now has 31 points (8 goals, 23 assists) on 49 games. He has 4 goals and 1 assist for 5 points during his 3 game point-scoring streak.

* Todd Bertuzzi assisted on the too-little-too-late powerplay goal as the Anaheim Ducks dropped a 2-1 decision to the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Bert has 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) on 38 games this season. He now has 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) on the man advantage. The powerplay helper was the 100th of Bertuzzi's career.

* Roberto Luongo stopped 26 of 28 shots and all 4 he faced in the SO as the Vancouver Canucks pulled off a 3-2 come-from-behind win at home against the St. Louis Blues. Luongo, who will miss the NHL All-Star Game, enters this break with a 22-16-4 record with a .925 save percentage and a paltry 2.10 goals against average with 6 shutouts. Teammate Taylor Pyatt missed his attempt in the 3rd round of the SO.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

There was a lot of high intensity action on Tuesday as 22 teams faced off in 11 matchups around the NHL. Former Islanders keep lending support to their respective teams. Here is a synopsis of the FI successes:

* Martin Straka scored a shorthanded insurance goal as the New York Rangers blanked the visiting Atlanta Thrashers 4-0. Straka has 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) on 33 games this season. The shortie was the 11th of his career and the first for Straka since before the lockout. He last scored a shorthanded goal during his brief stint with the Los Angeles Kings on January 3, 2006. Straka had gone 208 regular season games without a shorthanded goal!

* Bryan Smolinski assisted on the opening goal only 14 seconds into regulation then added a goal in the 2nd as the Montreal Canadiens thumped the visiting Boston Bruins 8-2. Smoke has 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists) on an injury-shortened 33 games with the Habs. It was the 3rd multi-point effort of the season for Smolinski. Bruins' forward Petteri Nokelainen scored the 2nd goal for a suprisingly defensively inept Bruins squad. Nokelainen has 6 points (5 goals, 1 assist) on 36 games. The tally snapped an 11 game goal-less streak.

* Olli Jokinen had a powerplay assist on Florida's 3rd goal as the Panthers downed the struggling visiting Ottawa Senators 5-3. O-Jok has 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points on 50 games. He has recorded 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) with the man advantage.

* Tampa Bay defenseman Brad Lukowich had a shorthanded assist on the Lightning's 3rd goal as they edged the visiting Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Luko has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) on 47 games. It was the first shortie helper for Lukowich since October 13, 2005 while still with the Isles.

* Chris Osgood stopped all 27 shots he faced as the Detroit Red Wings blanked the host Los Angeles Kings 3-0. Playing for the first time in a week, Osgood improved to 20-3-2 while upping his save percentage to .925 and dropping his goals against average to a measly 1.87. It was the 3rd shutout of the season for Osgood and his second in his last 7 starts. Osgood has now had 20 or more wins in 12 seasons.

* Brent Sopel assisted on the opening tally of the game as the Chicago Blackhawks fell to the host San Jose Sharks 3-2. Sopel has 1 goal and 12 assists for 13 points on 39 games. With the helper Sopel snapped a 3 game point-less streak.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

it was a fairly busy Monday as 10 teams faced off in 5 tilts around the NHL. Former Islanders are lending their help as they can. Let us take a peek at the FI happenings:

* Viktor Kozlov followed up a 2 goal performance with another one as the Washington Capitals pulled off a 6-5 come from behind SO win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kozlov scored Washington's 2nd goal, then added the game tying tally with about 4 and half minutes to force OT. Kozzer has 30 points (8 goals, 22 assists) on 48 games. He has scored 4 of his goals in the last 2 games alone after scoring only 4 in his first 46 games. Kozlov came up short in his attempt in the 1st round of the SO.

* Taylor Pyatt scored the too-little-too-late goal as the Minnesota Wild beat the host Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Pyatt has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points on 49 games. With the tally he snapped a 3 game point-less streak. Pyatt received 3rd star of the game honors. Goalie Roberto Luongo took the loss stopping 22 of 25 shots. He fell to 21-16-4 with a 2.11 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.

Check in soon for more Former Islander updates here at the home of the Islander-once-were, FIW.

A little slow down on Sunday as only 6 games were up for grabs. Former Islanders are still lending their help where they can. Let us take a look at the FI efforts:

* Zdeno Chara had a shorthanded assist on the opening goal as the Boston Bruins downed the host New York Rangers 3-1. Chara has 32 points (7 goals, 25 assists) on 47 games. He has notched points in each of the last 4 games accounting for a goal and 5 assists for 6 points. It was the first shorthanded point of the season for Chara and his first since November 30, 2006, a span of 103 games.

* Robert Nilsson had a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Atlanta Thrashers for a 4-2 win. Nilsson has 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) on 40 games setting a new single season best. He is currently enjoying a 3 game scoring streak in which he has notched 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points.

It was a busy night around the NHL as 22 teams faced off in highly heated hockey action. Former Islanders are not just helping their respective teams, but in some cases the topic of trade speculation. Let us take a look at the FI action from Saturday night:

* Zdeno Chara helped power the Boston offense as the Bruins eked out a 4-3 SO win over the visiting New York Rangers. Chara had a powerplay assist on Boston's 2nd goal and scored the winner in the 3rd round of the SO to seal the come-from-behind win. He now has 31 points (7 goals, 24 assists) on 46 games. Nearly half of those points (15) have come on the powerplay (4 goals, 11 assists). Martin Straka had an assist on the Rangers' 2nd goal. Straka now has 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) on 31 games.

* Michael Peca had a powerplay assist on the lone Columbus goal as the Blue Jackets fell to the host Dallas Stars 3-1. Peca has 20 points (4 goals, 16 assists) on 33 games. He is riding a 3 game point streak in which he has recorded 4 assists.

* Jason Blake scored his 9th goal of the season to cap off the scoring in a 4-2 Toronto Maple Leaf win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres. Blake received 3rd star of the game honor and now has 30 points (9 goals, 21 assists) on 48 games.

* Viktor Kozlov, 2nd star of the night, had a 2 goal effort to help the Washington Capitals win 5-3 over the visiting Florida Panthers. One of the 2 Kozlov goals came on the powerplay. Kozzer now has 28 points (6 goals, 22 assists) on 47 games. It was the first powerplay goal of the season for Kozlov who also has 7 extra man assists. Defenseman John Erskine scored Washington's 2nd goal. Erskine has 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists) on 26 games. With the tally Erskine snapped a 4 game point-less streak. Panthers' captain Olli Jokinen had a powerplay goal and a powerplay assist for a 2 point effort. O-Jok has 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points on 49 games. He has had 20 points (11 goals, 9 assists) with the man advantage.

* Center Derek Armstrong had an assist on the Kings' 2nd goal as Los Angeles edged the host Vancouver Canucks for a 4-3 win. Armstrong has 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) on 49 games. Meanwhile, a couple of FIs posted goals for the Canucks. Brad Isbister, the topic of waiver rumor, scored the first Vancouver goal. Isbister has 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points on 32 games. With the goal, Isbister snapped a 14 game point-less streak and a 15 game goal-less streak. Trevor Linden scored Vancouver's 2nd goal. Linden now has 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) on 36 games. He snapped a 9 game goal-less streak with the netter. Taking the loss was goalie Roberto Luongo who stopped 20 of 24 shots. Luongo fell to 21-15-4 on the season.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

The NHL had a modestly busy Friday night with 7 games up for grabs. Former Islanders are lending their talents and abilities where they can. Let us take a peek at the FI efforts:

* Robert Nilsson had an assist on the 2nd Edmonton goal as the Carolina Hurricanes thumped the visiting Oilers 7-2. Nilsson has 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) on 39 games. Twenty points equals his previous season high from his rookie 2005-06 season with the Isles when he had 6 goals and 14 assists on 53 games.

* Todd Bertuzzi had 3 even strength points as the Anaheim Ducks downed the host Minnesota Wild 4-2. Bertuzzi scored 2 goals and added an assist to lead the Ducks' charge. He received first star of the game honor. Bertuzzi has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) on 36 games but it has been the last 6 games that have been the most impressive for Bert. Riding a 6 game scoring streak, Bertuzzi has 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points. Also getting involved for the Ducks was defenseman Mathieu Schneider who assisted on the powerplay game winner and added an even strength helper for a 2 point effort. Schneider has 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists) on 35 games. Wild forward Mark Parrish assisted on Minnesota's 2nd goal. Parrish has 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) on 43 games.

* Adrian Aucoin had a point for the first time in 3 games since returning from a brief injury that sidelined him for much of January. Aucoin had a powerplay assist on the final goal as the Calgary Flames smacked down the visiting Los Angeles Kings 6-1. He now has 23 points (6 goals, 17 assists) on 44 games. Aucoin has managed 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) on the man advantage. Scoring the lone Kings' goal was FI forward Derek Armstrong. He now has 19 points (5 goals, 14 assists) on 48 games.

Eight games and 16 teams equalled a busy Thursday night around the NHL. Former Islanders are lending support to about 2 dozen teams around the league. Let us look at the FI happenings:

* Bryan Smolinski assisted on the 2nd Montreal goal as the Canadiens won in SO 3-2 over the host Atlanta Thrashers. With 2 assists in the 4 games since returning from injury, Smolinski now has 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists) on 32 games this season.

* Zdeno Chara scored the first Boston goal as the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs capped a comeback with a SO win over the Bruins. Chara has 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists) on 45 games. Over the last 2 games, Chara has 4 points on 1 goal and 3 assists.

* Robert Nilsson scored the 2nd Edmonton goal and a few FIs got involved in some SO action as the Oilers fell 5-4 to the host Washington Capitals. Nilsson scored an unassisted powerplay goal in the 1st period and now has 19 points (5 goals, 14 assists) on 38 games. He was stopped in his attempt in the 4th round of the 12 round marathon SO. Other FIs involved in the SO were Viktor Kozlov (saved, 4th round) and John Erskine (saved, 11th round).

* Randy Robitaille scored an insurance goal as the Ottawa Senators dominated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes for a 5-1 win. Robitaille snapped a 3 game point-less streak and now has 15 (7 goals, 8 assists) on 35 games. Owing to Dany Heatley's injury, Robitaille just got promoted to Ottawa's top line, quite a turnaround considering Randy started the season in Russia.

* Ultimately Detroit might have won but Roberto Luongo's star shone bright as he stopped 47 of 49 shots and 2 of 3 in SO as the Red Wings downed the visiting Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in the sudden death frame. Luongo's record fell to 21-14-4 but his save percentage swelled to .928 and his goals against average continues to hover around 2.00 (currently 2.04). Teammates Trevor Linden (2nd round) and Taylor Pyatt (3rd round) were unsuccessful in their SO attempts.

* Todd Bertuzzi and the Anaheim Ducks are on fire. As the Ducks climb the Western Conference standings, Bertuzzi continues to rake in points, this time assisting on the game winner as the Ducks edged the host Nashville Predators 2-1. Bertuzzi has 24 points on 9 goals and 15 assists on 35 games. In the midst of a 5 game scoring streak, Bert has 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points. Receiving the primary assist on the opening goal of the game, a powerplay tally, was defenseman Mathieu Schneider. He now has 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) on 34 games. Schneider has 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) on the man advantage.

* Michael Peca had 2 assists, including 1 on the powerplay, as the Columbus Blue Jackets managed a last second win over the host Phoenix Coyotes 4-3. Peca had the lone assist on the game winning goal with 22 seconds left in regulation. Peca has 19 points (4 goals, 15 assists) on 32 games. He has managed 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) from the powerplay alone.

The NHL was set on moderate mode on Wednesday night as 10 teams faced off in 5 highly contention tilts. Former Islanders are lending help where they can. Let us take a look at their contributions:

* Jim Dowd keeps racking up points since Philadelphia waived him about 2 weeks ago. Dowd assisted on the opening goal of the game as the Flyers downed the visiting Florida Panthers 5-3. He now has 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) on 36 games. The bulk of Dowd's scoring has come in 5 of his last 6 games where he has recorded 1 goal and 4 assists. Olli Jokinen assisted on the 3rd Florida goal. O-Jok has 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points on 47 games.

* Defenseman Eric Brewer recorded an assist on the lone St. Louis goal as the host Chicago Blackhawks manhandled the Blues for a 6-1 win. Through 39 games, Brewer has 11 points on 1 goal and 10 assists.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

It was a busy Tuesday around the NHL as 20 teams faced off in 10 hotly contested tilts. Former Islanders are lending support to their respective teams as they battle for those all-important points for the standings in the midseason playoff scramble. Let us take a gander at the FI contributions:

* Michael Peca had a powerplay assist on Columbus' second goal as the Blue Jackets edged the visiting Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Peca snapped a 4 game point-less streak and an 8 game assist-less streak to record his 17th point of the season on 4 goals and 13 assists. Six of his points (1 goal, 5 assists) have come on the man advantage. He has played 31 games this season for Columbus. Roberto Luongo took the loss in net for the Canucks stopping 18 of 21 shots. He fell to 21-14-3 on the season and has dropped 2 of his last 3 starts.

* Viktor Kozlov received the primary assist on the opening goal of the game, a powerplay tally, as the Washington Capitals downed the visiting Ottawa Senators 4-2. Kozzer now has 26 points (4 goals, 22 assists) on 45 games. He has 2 assists over his last 2 games. As Washington continues to dominate Ottawa (4-0 record), Kozlov has scored or assisted in all 4 of those games accounting for 6 of his points (2 goals, 4 assists) from this season.

* Two FIs recorded assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs survived a last second comeback attempt by the visiting Carolina Hurricanes to win 5-4. Jason Blake had 2 assists (1 powerplay) to improve to 29 points (8 goals, 21 assists) on 46 games this season. Blake snapped a 3 game point-less streak with the helpers. It was the 7th multi-point game this year for Blakey. Jeff Hamilton assisted on the 3rd Carolina goal breaking a 4 game point-less stretch. Hamilton now has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) on 45 games. It was only the 2nd assist for Hamilton in his last 23 competitions.

* Chris Osgood finally seems to be cooling off. Osgood took a loss stopping only 13 of 17 shots before being replaced by Dominik Hasek in the 3rd period as the Detroit Red Wings fell to the visitimng Atlanta Thrashers 5-1. Osgood is now 19-3-2 on the season. Over the last 2 starts, Osgood has given up 9 goals in about 97 minutes of ice time. He has stopped only 36 of the last 45 shots (.800 save percentage) he has faced.

* Todd Bertuzzi kept up his string of excellent play with another multi-point effort as the Anaheim Ducks doubled up on the visiting Dallas Stars for a 4-2 win. Bertuzzi assisted on the first Ducks' goal of the night and capped the scoring with a powerplay goal midway through the 3rd period. Bertuzzi has 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) on 34 games. Over the last 4 games, Bertuzzi has notched 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points. Anaheim is 10-4-3 when Bertuzzi scores at least one point and 4-0-1 when he records 2 or more points.

Check back for more updates as the playoff chase continues to heat up.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Sean Hill was placed on the Injured Reserve list on Monday following a sprained ankle in Friday's game at the Chicago Blackhawks. After missing the first 19 games of the season following a 20 game ban implemented during last year's playoffs following a positive test for a banned substance, Hill had played 21 games for the Wild. Hill has so far recorded 2 assists, 16 penalty minutes, 1 powerplay assist, 11 shots on goal and a -7 rating in this stint with Minnesota.

With only 1 game on the schedule on Monday night there were no Former Islander happenings to report. On the good side, though, the Pittsburgh Penguins downed the visiting New York Rangers 4-1. Evgeni Malkin recorded his 2nd hat trick in 11 days to lead the Pens over the hated Blueshirts.

Monday, January 14, 2008

It was an unusually busy Sunday around the NHL as 16 teams faced off in 8 heated tilts. Former Islanders are tipping in help where they can. Let us take a peek at the FI happenings:

* Jim Dowd is playing like a man possessed. He scored a crucial shorthanded goal on Sunday night as the Philadelphia Flyers out-dueled the host Washington Capitals 6-4. Dowd has 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points on 35 games. With the tally, Dowd snapped a 16 game goal-less streak and has 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) over the last 5 games. It was Dowd's first shorthanded goal since April 5, 2007 while playing for the New Jersey Devils against the Flyers. It was the 6th shortie of Dowd's career. He has notched 1 shorthanded goal in each of the last 3 seasons. Caps' forward Viktor Kozlov assisted on Washington's 3rd goal. Kozzer has 25 points (4 goals, 21 assists) on 44 games. With the helper, Kozlov snapped a 3 game point-less streak.

* Florida captain Olli Jokinen scored the game tying goal with less than 9 minutes to go in regulation as the Colorado Avalanche beat the host Panthers 4-3 in SO. The goal, a powerplay tally, gives O-Jok 22 goals on the season along with 21 assists for 43 points on 46 games. His attempt in the 3rd round of the SO was stopped by Avs' goalie Jose Theodore.

* Taylor Pyatt followed up a 2 goal effort with a 2 assist effort as the Vancouver Canucks slid past the host St. Louis Blues 4-3 in SO. With 2 assists in the 1st T-Py was off to a hot start but was struck in the face with a puck late in the period. He missed the rest of the game and was to meet with a Blues' team dentist. Ouch! Pyatt has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) on 45 games this season. He has 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points on the last 2 contests. Goalie Roberto Luongo stopped 19 of 22 including 2 in OT and all 3 attempts in SO to record the win. Luongo is 21-13-3 on the season with a hearty .928 save percentage and a paltry 2.01 goals against average. He has drawn ire recently for opting out of the NHL All-Star game to be with his wife who is expecting in April.

* Things are looking up for Todd Bertuzzi and the Anaheim Ducks. Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist as the Ducks beat the visiting San Jose Sharks 4-3 in OT and Anaheim improved to 7-2-1 over its last 10 games. Bertuzzi has 8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points on 33 games. During his current 3 game point scoring streak he has 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points his biggest offensive surge of the season.

* Defenseman Brent Sopel assisted on the opening goal of the game as the Chicago Blackhawks skipped past the host Nashville Predators 3-2 in a SO win. Sopel has 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) on 35 games including a goal and an assitst in the last 2 contests.

Ten games were up for contention on Saturday night in a busy Saturday evening. Twenty teams battled for important midseason points as it becomes clearer each week who is in contention and who is slipping. Former Islanders are helping their respective teams with concerted efforts. Let us take a look at the FI happenings:

* Zdeno Chara had a nice night helping power a Boston Bruins 4-3 OT win over the host Philadelphia Flyers with 3 assists including 2 with the man advantage. The Boston captain, Chara has 29 points (6 goals, 23 assists) on 44 games this season. The 3 assist effort was the most offensive night he has had this year and the most he has notched since February 14, 2004 while with the Ottawa Senators! Almost half of his points (14) have come on the powerplay which accounts for 4 goals and 10 assists.

* Derek Armstrong found net on Saturday as the Dallas Stars fell in SO to the host Los Angeles Kings 4-3. The Kings' center has struggled this season and has only 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) on 46 games. Over the last 2 games, Armstrong has recorded a goal and an assist.

* Michael Peca was stopped on his attempt in the SO as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the visiting Nashville Predators 2-1.

* Olli Jokinen brought a 3 game point-less streak to a screeching halt with the opening goal in a 5-3 loss for the Florida Panthers against the visiting intrastate rival Tampa Bay Lightning. Jokinen also snapped a 6 game goal-less streak and has 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points on 45 games.

* Martin Straka scored the game winning goal as the New York Rangers beat the visiting Montreal Canadiens 4-1. Point-less in his last 3 games and goal-less in his last 4, Straka has 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) on 28 games. The game winner was Straka's second of the season and the 40th of his career.

Only 4 games were up for grabs on Friday night. Four games! Former Islanders are lending a hand where they can. Let us take a look at the FI support:

* Mark Parrish's point streak keeps stacking up. He continued his surge on Friday with another goal as the Minnesota Wild crushed the host Chicago Blackhawks 5-2. Parrish notched an insurance goal and now has 22 points (13 goals, 9 assists) on 41 games. During his current 8 game point streak Parrish has recorded 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points. He is a +4 over that span with 1 powerplay goal and 17 shots on goal. Chicago defenseman Brent Sopel, fresh off signing a 3 year contract extension, scored his first goal of the season to open the scoring. Sopel received 3rd star of the game honors and has 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) on 34 games. With the netter, Sopel snapped a 57 game goal-less streak that included 11 playoff games from last season. It was his first goal since March 11, 2007. To put it into another perspective, Sopel had not scored a goal in his prior 73 shots!

* Taylor Pyatt had a good night while the rest of the Vancouver Canucks did not dropping a 4-3 decision to the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. T-Py's goals served as bookends to the offense with a powerplay goal just over 8 minutes into the game and and even strength score with 8 and a half left in regulation. Pyatt received 2nd star of the game honors and now has 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points on 44 games. It was Pyatt's first multi-goal night since October 26 of this season. Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo got a much deserved night off.

Check back soon for updates from a busy weekend around the NHL here at FIW.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

With 11 games up for grabs on Thursday it was a busy night around the NHL. Former Islanders are tipping in their help as they can. Let us take a peek at the FI happenings:

* Olli Jokinen might not have scored a point in the last 3 games but he helped Florida win on Thursday night. Jokinen scored the decisive goal in the 3rd round as the Panthers downed the host Atlanta Thrashers 3-2 in SO.

* Jim Dowd assisted for the 3rd straight game as the Philadelphia Flyers mounted a comeback, then slaughtered the New York Rangers 6-2 at Madison Square Garden. Ever since being put on waivers Dowd has turned up his offensive effort. With 3 points in 3 games, Dowd has 5 (2 goals, 3 assists) on 33 games this season. It is the first time he has had points in 3 straight games since December 15-18, 2005 while he was with the Chicago Blackhawks.

* Bryan Smolinski, back for the first time since December 6, assisted on the final goal as the Montreal Canadiens routed the host Boston Bruins 5-2. Hampered by an injury for over a month, Smolinski has 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) on 29 games.

* Mark Parrish's goal streak may have come to an end but his point streak kept going in a close one between Minnesota and host Detroit that resulted in a 6-5 Wild SO win. Parrish had 2 assists, including one of the game tying goal with 49 seconds remaining in regulation. He has 21 points (12 goals, 9 assists) on 40 games. He is currently riding a 7 game point scoring streak in which he has notched 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points. Taking the OT loss was Red Wing's goalie Chris Osgood who had his worst performance of the season, yet failed to record the loss in the regulation category. Ozzie stopped 23 of 28 shots. He still owns a 19-2-2 record with an impressive 1.82 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. He still owns the best goals against average but his save percentage dropped to 4th in the NHL.

* St. Louis defenseman Eric Brewer assisted on the opening goal of the game as the Blues knocked off the visiting Dallas Stars 4-2. Brewer has 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) on 36 games.

* FI teammates Robert Nilsson and Denis Grebeshkov had goal and assist nights as the Edmonton had a rare offensive explosion as the Oilers beat the visiting Phoenix Coyotes 5-2. Nilsson, first star of the game, is having a breakout season. He currently has 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) on 35 games. With the netter, Nilsson snapped a 12 game goal-less streak. The goal was Grebeshkov's first of his young career. He has 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists) on 38 games this season. It was also the first multi-point night of Grebeshkov's NHL tenure. With the points, Grebeshkov snapped a 17 game point-less streak.

* Roberto Luongo was saddled with the loss as the typical Vancouver scoring glut resulted in the Canucks dropping in a 3-1 decision to the host San Jose Sharks. Luongo stopped 28 of 31 shots. He currently holds a 20-13-3 record with a 1.99 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.

Only 3 games were in battle on Wednesday night, a slow evening around the NHL. Former Islanders play a part in only 1 of those competitions, yet their contributions in that game were big. Let us take a look at the FI efforts:

* Todd Bertuzzi had his first 3 point night as a Duck with the game winning goal and 2 even strength assists as Anaheim blanked the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 5-0. Bertuzzi scored his 7th of the season only 2:11 into regulation then added his 11th and 12th assists. He now has 19 points on 32 games. The tally was the 29th game winning goal of Bertuzzi's career and his first since January 16, 2006, a span of 82 games. Assisting on the game winner was defenseman Mathieu Schneider. He has 19 points (5 goals, 14 assists) on 31 games including assists on back-to-back games after snapping a 7 game point-less streak.

Defenseman Brent Sopel signed a 3 year contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. It is the believe the garner Sopel about $7 million over the next 3 years. Out currently with a broken finger, Sopel is expected to return soon. He has 10 assists on 33 games this season with a slim 12 penalty minutes, a +10 rating and 3 shorthanded assists.

A 467 game veteran, Sopel has 39 goals and 152 assists for 191 points and 235 penalty minutes. He has had 76 (18 goals, 58 assists) of those points on the powerplay. Over 25 percent of his career goals (10) have been game winners. Sopel, who played his first 7 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, has also played for the Kings, Isles and Blackhawks.

Winger Darryl Bootland joined the Former Islander ranks on Wednesday when he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for winger Matt Keith. Bootland played 4 games this season with the Isles accounting for 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes.

Having played 32 games over 3 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and Islanders, Bootland has 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points, a -3 rating, 85 penalty minutes and 1 game winning goal.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

As we cross the midpoint of the season, we here at FIW would like to highlight some of the Former Islander duds. While the NHL swarms with high intensity conference competition and possibly the most intense offensive talent since the end of the lockout, in no particular order these Former Islanders are treading water:

1. Arron Asham (RW, NJ) - Signed by New Jersey in the postseason, Asham was supposed to bring his size, toughness and a bit of offensive ability to the Devils. Aside from being 2nd on the team in penalty minutes, Asham has failed to bring much to the table. On 40 games, Asham has a pale 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists). At one time this season, Asham went 19 straight games without a point. Having reached the 20+ point category each of his last 4 seasons, Asham is on pace for 16 this season.

2. Alexei Zhitnik (D, ATL) - After coming to Atlanta late last season, his 3rd team following the Isles and Flyers, Zhitnik went on a tear with 14 points on 18 games. This season, not so much. Zhitnik has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) on 44 games this season. His 32 game point-less streak earlier in the season was the longest of his career. He is a -8 with only 38 penalty minutes and is currently tied with 5 other players for 13th overall in Thrashers' scoring.

3. Viktor Kozlov (C, WAS) - Despite being tied for 4th on the team in points, Kozlov has been an offensive letdown for the Capitals. Kozzer has only 4 goals on 42 games this season going 23 games at one point with one. Having been demoted from the Ovechkin line, Kozlov continues to struggle. A 51 point scorer last season for the Isles, Kozlov is looking to scrape by a 45 point effort with less than 10 goals, a considerable downsize from his career reviving 25 last year.

* Jeff Hamilton (RW, CAR) After a fast start, winger Hamilton has cooled off big time for the Hurricanes. Signed in the postseason following an impressive 70 game performance with the Blackhawks in 2006-07, Hamilton started off strong with 15 of his 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) on the first 22 games. It has been the last 20 where he has notched only 1 assist that has been most frustrating for Hamilton and Carolina. Currently, Hamilton would need a small miracle to repeat the breakout 39 point performance he had last season.

* Jason Blake (LW, TOR) - Currently tied for 3rd on Toronto in points (27), Blake could not find net for 18 games at one point this season then followed it up with a recent 8 game drought. Now we make exception for Blake being a trooper and playing through illness but Blake is well below the torrid 40 goal pace he had last season. As stands, Blake would eke out 16 goals. Worse still, Blake is currently 5th in the league in shots netting goals at a 4.4 percent average.

* Eric Brewer (D, STL) - Hampered for a couple of weeks by an injury, Brewer has never seemed to have regained his form. He is out of the top 10 in Blues' scoring with only 9 points (1 goal, 8 assists) on 35 games. A 29 point scorer last year, Brewer is struggling to find the scoresheet.

* Ryan Smyth (LW, COL) - Injured. 'Nuff said.

* Derek Armstrong (C, LA) - Expected to be an offensive leader for this inexperienced Kings squad, Armstrong has been having a nightmare season. Finally finding the goal in game 28, Armstrong has a sickly 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) on 44 games. He sits 9th on the team in scoring, only 1 point ahead of defenseman Tom Preissing.

We are sure we missed some but ah well. Hope you enjoyed the list. Check back soon for more updates and news as it breaks here at FIW.

Action picked up on Tuesday night as 22 teams faced off in 11 highly contested competitions around the league. Former Islanders are kicking their efforts into high gear, the ones that are still healthy that is. Let us take a look at the handful of FI accomplishments:

* Defenseman Brad Lukowich assisted on Tampa Bay's first goal as the Lightning mounted a 4 goal run to effectively finish the New York Rangers 5-3 from Madison Square Garden. It was only the 4th point (1 goal, 3 assists) of the season for Luko on 41 games. He snapped a 21 game point-less streak having received his last assist on November 10. The point was the 100th of Lukowich's career, one that has spanned 564 games. In that time Luko has scored 22 goals and added 78 assists as well as a gentlemanly 345 penalty minutes and a healthy +31 rating.

* Jim Dowd assisted on the final goal of the game, a shorthanded tally, as the Philadelphia Flyers owned the host Atlanta Thrashers 4-1. Dowd has had assists in back-to-back games since being put on waivers by the Flyers late last week. He has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) on 32 games this season. It is the first time Dowd has had points in consecutive games since December 12-14, 2006 while with the New Jersey Devils. As well, it was Dowd's first shorthanded helper since March 10, 2007.

* D-man Roman Hamrlik assisted on Montreal's 2nd goal as the Canadiens edged the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in OT. The assist came on a powerplay opportunity with less than 3 minutes remaining in the 1st period. Hamrlik has 18 points (3 goals, 15 assists) on 42 games. He has notched 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists) on the man advantage.

* Taylor Pyatt assisted on the opening goal of the game as the Vancouver Canucks downed the visiting Islanders 3-2 in the SO. T-Py has 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) on 42 games. With the helper, Pyatt snapped a 3 game cold streak. Trevor Linden scored in the 3rd round of the SO frame to give the Canucks a shortlived 1-0 advantage. Linden is 4-1 this season in 5 SO attempts scoring at an 80 percent clip. Getting the win in net was goaltender Roberto Luongo who, despite being outshone by Rick DiPietro, stopped 26 of 28 shots including 3 in OT and 5 of 6 in the SO to record his 20th win of the season. Luongo is 20-12-3 on the season with a .930 save percentage, a 1.96 goals against average and 6 shutouts. He is 7-2-0 in his last 9 starts with 2 shutouts and a .946 save percentage.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood, in the middle of a career season at the age of 35, signed a 3 year contract extension on Wednesday. The contract will land him $4.25 million frontloaded with $1.7 million next season, $1.45 million in 2009-10 and $1.1 million in 2010-11. Osgood is 19-2-1 on the season and leads the league with a paltry 1.68 goals against average and a handsome .932 save percentage. With only 2 regulation losses, Ozzie is the only goalie with more than 10 starts to have that few losses in regular play.

A 644 game veteran, Osgood has started 620 games to the tune of a 355-188-66-12 (W-L-T-OTL) record. He has a career goals against average of 2.42 and a .908 save percentage. After playing his first 7 seasons in Detroit, Osgood played 1 and a half years with the Islanders and roughly another year and a half with St. Louis before returning to Detroit for the post-lockout 2005-06 season.

We here at FIW believe that Osgood should be considered the top candidate right now for the Vezina Trophy. He is having a spectacular season and we continue to wish him the best for the next few years to come. Congratulations Chris, you earned it!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Edmonton Oilers announced on Monday that forward Raffi Torres will be out the rest of the season following surgery to repair a torn knee ligament. Torres had 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) on 31 games this season. On his career, Torres has 67 goals and 59 assists 126 points on 307 games. Drafted 5th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Torres has played for both the Islanders and Oilers.

Action barely picked up on Monday as the NHL had 3 games on tap. Let us look at the handful of Former Islander contributions from a slow night:

* For the 2nd straight game Mark Parrish scored the lone Minnesota goal as the Wild fell to the host Dallas Stars 3-1. Parrish has scored goals in 4 straight games and has 12 goals and 7 assists for 19 points on 39 games this season. He also has points in 6 consecutive games with 5 goals and 1 assist. This is the first time Parrish has scored goal in 4 straight games since March 25-31, 2004 when he was with the Isles.

Only 2 games were on the schedule on a slow Sunday. Let us take a look at the lone Former Islander contribution:

* Chris Osgood continued to dominate on Sunday stopping 19 of 20 shots to anchor a 3-1 Detroit Red Wings win over the host Chicago Blackhawks. Ozzie improved to 19-2-1 on the season with an ever-improving .932 save percentage and an improbably low 1.68 goals against average. Osgood has won 19 of only 22 starts. In his last 4 starts, Osgood has given up only 4 goals playing all 240 minutes of ice time and has stopped pucks at a .961 percentage.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

There were 13 games around the league in a busy night for hockey action. Former Islanders are lending help wherever they can. Let us take a look at the intense FI action from Saturday night:

* A pair of competing FIs lent their help in a close game between Washington and host Montreal. The Capitals edged the Canadiens 5-4 in OT. Lending a hand were Habs defenseman Roman Hamrlik who scored the team's 3rd goal. Hamrlik has 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists) this season on 41 games. With the helper, Hamrlik snapped a 2 game point-less streak. Caps' d-man John Erskine assisted on Washington's 4th goal. Erskine has 7 points on 1 goal and 6 assists this season in only 21 competitions.

* Jim Dowd had an assist on the opening goal, only a day after clearing waivers, as the Philadelphia Flyers survived a comeback from host Toronto for a 3-2 win. Dowd snapped a 12 game point-less streak. He has 3 points (2 goals, 1 assists) on 31 games this season. It was his first assist April 5, 2007, a span of 42 games including 11 playoff games last year with the Devils. Maple Leafs' winger Jason Blake had an assist on Toronto's second goal. Blake has 27 points (5 goals, 22 assists) on 42 games. On his current 3 game tear, Blakey has 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points.

* Boston defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara assisted on the Bruins' first goal as they fended off the visiting New Jersey Devils 4-3. Chara has 26 points (6 goals, 20 assists) on 41 games. He holds a 3 game point-scoring streak in which he has notched 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points. Arron Asham snapped a 6 game point-less streak with an assist on New Jersey's 3rd goal. Asham has 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) on 39 games. Taking the loss was Devils' backup goalie Kevin Weekes who stopped 21 of 25 shots. Weekes fell to 2-2-1 on the season with a respectable .906 save percentage and a 2.63 goals against average. It was Weekes' first start since December 10.

* Randy Robitaille scored the first 2 Ottawa goals as the Senators pulled off a come-from-behind win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in OT. Second star of the game, Robby has 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points on 31 games. All 6 of Robitaille's goals have come on multi-goal nights (November 1, December 5, January 5).

* Mark Parrish scored the lone Minnesota goal as the Wild fell 4-1 to the host Nashville Predators. Parrish has 11 goals and 7 assists for 18 points on 38 games this season. Parrish has scored goals in 3 consecutive games and has points in 5 straight for 4 goals and 1 assist.

* Todd Bertuzzi was stuffed on his chance in the SO as the Anaheim Ducks fell to the host Phoenix Coyotes 3-2.

It was a slow night in the NHL with only 4 games up for grabs. Let us take a look at the sprinkling of Former Islander contributions on Friday night:

* Jeff Hamilton snapped a 17 game point-less streak that stretched back to November 23 in a come-from-behind 4-3 win by the Carolina Hurricanes over the host Tampa Bay Lightning. Hamilton had a powerplay assist on a goal that cut the Lightning lead to 1 as the Hurricanes scored 3 straight to win. He now has 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) on 40 games this season including 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) on the man advantage.

* Randy Robitaille had a powerplay assist on the 2nd Senators' goal as Ottawa downed the host Buffalo Sabres 5-3. Robby now has 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) on 30 games. It was only the 2nd powerplay assist for Robitaille on the season. Tim Connolly assisted on the first Buffalo goal. Connolly is on a torrid pace with 29 points (5 goals, 24 assists) on 32 games.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Veteran forward Jim Dowd cleared waivers today as the Philadelphia Flyers are in the processing of dumping excess baggage in preparation for trade season. Dowd has 2 goals on 30 games this season. A 685 game veteran, Dowd has 68 goals and 163 assists for 231 career points since the 1991-92 season. We will follow this story and see where Dowd may end up.

The NHL kicked back into high gear on Thursday night with 10 hotly contested battles among two-thirds of the league's 30 clubs. Former Islanders are also kicking their efforts into high gear with impressive play on the over 2 dozen teams they represent.Let us take a peek at the FI contributions from a busy Thursday night:

* Boston captain Zdeno Chara assisted on the game winner and then added the powerplay insurance goal as the Bruins blanked the visiting Washington Capitals 2-0. The second star of the game, Chara has 25 points (6 goals, 19 assists) on 40 games this season including 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) with the man advantage. Chara is riding a mini-hot streak with 4 points on 1 goal and 3 assists over the last 2 games.

* It was just not possible for the Islanders to keep Olli Jokinen from finding his way onto the scoresheet. The Panthers captain assisted on the game winning goal 1:33 into OT as Florida beat the host Isles 4-3. Officially halfway through the season, Jokinen currently holds a point per game pace with 41 (20 goals, 21 assists) on 41 games.

* Jason Blake finally had a multi-goal night for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it only took half the season. Blake had 2 goals, including a powerplay tally, as the Maple Leafs fell 6-2 to the host Pittsburgh Penguins. He now has 8 goals and 18 assists for 26 points on 41 games. On a torrid mini-streak, Blakey has 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in just the last 2 games. It was Blake's first multi-goal night since March 10, 2007, a span of 59 games without at least 2 goals. Blake had 5 multi-goal nights during the 2006-07 season in which he scored 40 goals.

* Mark Parrish capped the scoring as the Minnesota Wild doubled up on the visiting Dallas Stars for a 6-3 win. Parrish now has 17 points (10 goals, 7 assists) on 37 games. He is riding a 4 game point streak in which he has notched 3 goals and an assist. Parrish has surpassed double digits for goals in each of his 9 professional seasons.

* Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo posted his 6th shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the visiting New York Rangers 3-0. Luongo stopped all 28 shots to improve to 19-12-3 on the season. In the process, his numbers continue improve. Luongo has a .930 save percentage, 3rd best in the league by literally 1/1000th of a point, and a 1.97 goals against average, also 3rd best in the league. He has 5 shutouts in his last 14 starts, a span in which he has posted a 10-3-1 record. Stephen Valiquette took the loss in net for the Blueshirts stopping 16 of 19 shots. Valiquette fell to 2-3-1 on the season with an .896 save percentage and a 2.73 goals against average. It was the 6th start of the season for Valiquette who has made 8 appearances this season for the Rangers.

* Michael Peca is back after missing 5 games with a sore neck and complaining of headaches. He made an instant difference scoring 2 goals, including the game winner with a little over 5 minutes remaining in regulation, as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the host Los Angeles Kings 4-3. Peca scored his 3rd of the season in the 2nd period to give the Jackets a 3-2 lead and then vaulted them to the win with his 4th goal late in the 3rd period. He has 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) on 26 games.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that Ryan Smyth has suffered a broken right angle and will likely miss up to 8 weeks recovering from the injury. An MRI following a 4-3 OT loss to the Phoenix Coyotes revealed the fracture. Smyth joins a growing list of injured Avs' players including Joe Sakic, Tyler Arnason and Kurt Sauer. Smyth has 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) on 36 games this season. We wish him a speedy recovery.

The new year is slowly building up. On Wednesday night there were 14 teams in 7 contests around the league. Former Islanders are tipping in help where they can. Let us take a look at the FI happenings from this, the 2nd day of 2008:

* Olli Jokinen assisted on the too-little-too-late goal as the Florida Panthers were edged by the host New Jersey Devils 3-2. O-Jok's assist came on the final tally of the night, 5:06 into the 3rd period. Jokinen now has an even 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) on 40 games this year.

* Chris Osgood continues to keep pucks out of the net. He did his job excellently again on Wednesday night as he stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 4-1 Red Wings win over the Dallas Stars in Detroit. Chris Osgood is playing like never before in his 14 year career. He is posting an 18-2-1 record with a league leading .931 save percentage as well as a league leading 1.71 goals against average. Over his last 3 starts, Osgood has posted a 3-0-0 record with 1 shutout, a 1.00 goals against average and a .962 save percentage.

* We at FIW believe that Robert Nilsson will be a star before long. He continues to preen himself to be an elite points scorer in his current stint with Edmonton. Nilsson recorded an assist on the Oilers' 2nd goal as they downed the host St. Louis Blues 3-2 in OT. Nilsson has a respectable 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) on 33 games this season. With the helper, Nilsson snapped a 3 game point-less streak. Also getting involved was Blues' defenseman Eric Brewer who assisted on the tying goal with less than 9 minutes remaining in regulation. Brewer has 9 points (1 goal, 8 assists) on 33 games. He snapped a 6 game point-less streak with the assist.

* Phoenix forward Mike York assisted on the 2nd goal as the visiting Coyotes thrashed the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. York has 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) on 35 games. It is only the second time this season that York has had points in consecutive games, this time managing 2 assists over the last 2 tilts.

* Adrian Aucoin opened the scoring 1:39 into the 1st period as the Calgary Flames eked by the visiting New York Rangers 4-3. The goal was Aucoin's 7th of the year. He now has 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) on 40 games this season. Playing especially well as of late, Aucoin has 10 points on 3 goals and 7 assists over the last 10 games. The 7 goals is the most Aucoin has scored since 2003-04 when he notched 13 with the Islanders.

* Todd Bertuzzi has kept up his recent strong play as well. He had a powerplay assist on the game winner with 15 seconds remaining in the 2nd period as the Anaheim Ducks knocked off the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1. Bert has 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists) on 28 games including 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) on the man advantage. He is riding a season high 5 game point streak in which he has 2 goals and 3 assists.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Happy New Year! Welcome back to Former Islander Watch as we track the progress of the league-wide FIs in the final half of the season. The first day of 2008 had 4 games up for contention including the outdoor Winter Classic game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, the first outdoor NHL game since 2003. Let us take a look at the FI efforts from January 1, 2008:

* Sabres' forward Tim Connolly assisted on the lone Buffalo goal as they dropped a 2-1 SO decision to the technically visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. An outdoor thriller that ended with a Sidney Crosby third round SO goal, TimCo assisted on the game tying 1:25 into the 2nd period. Connolly missed on his chance in the 2nd round of the SO frame. He now has 28 points (5 goals, 23 assists) on 31 games this year.

* Viktor Kozlov scored the first Capitals' goal as Washington and the Ottawa Senators again dueled it out in a score-a-thon. The Caps won 6-3 following an 8-6 win in their prior game, also against the Sens. Kozzer netted his 4th goal of the season. He has 24 points (4 goals, 20 assists) on 40 games. During his current 3 game scoring streak, Kozlov has 3 points on 1 goal and 2 assists.

* Jason Blake finally had a big night for Toronto. Blakey scored a goal and added 2 assists as the Maple Leafs managed a 4-3 SO win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. The goal was Blake's 6th of the season. He now has 24 points (6 goals, 18 assists) on 40 games this year. Blake snapped an 8 game point-less streak, his 2nd longest of the season.

Check back soon with FIW because 2008 is just starting to heat up, even as the temperatures stay down.